Nameplate reactivator



Sept. 6, 1960 1.. w. GIELLERUP NAMEPLATE REACTIVATOR Filed May 13, 1959INVENTOR LEON W. GIELLERUP Y- TTORNE;

"United States Patent NAMEPLATE REACTIVATOR Leon W. Giellerup,Hackensack, N.J., assignor to Girder Process, Inc, Hackensack, N.J., acorporation of New Jersey Filed May 13, 1959, Ser. No. 812,869

4 Claims. 01. 118-224) This invention relates to devices for moisteningof labels, nameplates and the like and is more particularly concernedwith devices which will apply moisture, ad hesives or solvents evenly toa surface of labels, cards, strips, nameplates and the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide a small and compact devicewhich will accommodate labels, cards or strips of varying thicknesses,and which, at the same time, distribute the moisture or adhesive evenlyon one of the surfaces thereof.

A further object is to provide a device which is small, light, compactand simple to use, durable and easy to clean, and which is cheap tomanufacture.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be obvious fromthese specifications.

For a better understanding of this invention, referonce is made to thedrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the two parts of this device;

Figure 2 is an end elevational partly in section thereof; and

Figure 3 is a side elevational view partly in section on the lines 33 ofFigure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the device of this invention in the form asshown in the drawing serves as a nameplate reactivator, has an outerframe 10, which is geenrally of light metal construction and in the formof a square cup. The outer frame has a base 11, sides 12 and ends 13. Inthe form as shown, the ends 13 are higher than the sides 12. The outerframe is preferably pressed or otherwise formed on one piece ofmaterial, such as steel and serves as the reservoir for the liquid orsolvent employed to moisten or to reactivate the adhesive on thenameplates or labels.

An inner frame 14, having a Hat base 15, and two upstanding ends 16A and16B, fits within the outer frame. Three lower rollers 17 rotating in thesame plane on pins 18 mounted in the upstanding ends 16A and 16B of theinner frame 14 are spaced from each other as shown in Figure 2, so thatthe lower half of the roller extends into a liquid or solvent 19 whichis in the reservoir in the outer frame 10.

A pair of horizontal upper rollers 20 mounted on pins 21 between theends 16A and 16B of the inner frame 14 are located above the valleysbetween the rollers 17. To provide for vertical movement of the rollers20, the pins 21 uponwhich the rollers are mounted are held in positionin vertical slots 22 in the ends 16A and 16B, so that the pins 21 maymove up or down in said slots to allow the rollers to move in a verticalplane. In this way, if, in the use of the device, a thick or heavynameplate or plaque is to be passed through the device, the upperrollers will be forced upwardly by the thickness of the nameplate, andby the movement of the pins 21 in the slots, nameplates of any thicknessmay be accommodated.

The lower rollers 17 preferably have an exterior surface 23 of chamoisor other absorbent material which will absorb the liquid in thereservoir and carry it around the roller as it rotates when in use.

For an even distribution of the solvent or liquid in the reservoir uponall of the rollers to be carried evenly to the reverse side of thenameplate or label, means are provided to rotate the lower rollers 17together, For this purpose, a pair of small gear rollers in the form ofcircular bars 24, preferably of steel or other metal, are located in thevalleys between the three lower rollers. These bars are circular andpreferably are of a small enough diameter to lie snugly in the valleybetween the larger rollers and are not polished since a degree ofroughness contributes to the traction of the gear roll against the feltcovered rolls. Thus when a nameplate is passed through the device, itsreverse side bears against the lower rollers and will cause one or moreof the lower rollers to revolve. When any one of the lower rollersrevolve, the circular bars 24 lying between the lower rollers will causeall of the lower rollers to revolve at the same time and substantiallywith the same movement. In this way, each of the lower rollers will pickup the liquid from the reservoir and each turning in more or less thesame movement, will carry the liquid around the rollers to cause an evenand uniform wetting of the reverse of the nameplate passing through thedevice.

If the nameplate is of heavy material and of a thick- I ness which wouldnot pass through the usual device of this nature, it may be readilyaccommodated in the device of this invention. Since the upper rollers 20are mounted on pins which revolve in the slots of the ends 16A and 16B,the pins will slide upwardly in the slots as needed to provide morespace between the upper and lower rollers of the device to accommodatenameplates or labels of varying thicknesses.

's device is a simple one, economical to manufacture and easy to use andmaintain. It is compact in form and has relatively few parts and issimple to operate. In addition, the device can handle different typesand sizes of labels, nameplates or plaques without the need ofadjustment. In its use, the even and uniform distribution of the liquidon the nameplate or label is assured.

The nameplate reactivator has been described herein and illustrates aform of the device of this invention, and it is obvious that changes insize, form and shape may' be made for different uses without in any waychanging the basic invention.

I claim:

1. A device for moistening labels, nameplates and the like comprising anouter frame having upstanding'sides and ends, said outer frame servingas a reservoir for liquid in the device, an inner frame adapted to litwithin said outer frame, said inner frame having a base and a pair ofupstanding ends, three lower rollers rotatably mounted in the ends ofthe inner frame for rotating in the liquid, said lower rollers being inthe same horizontal plane and spaced from each other, a pair of roundbars lying freely in the valleys between the lower rollers and adaptedto transmit motion from one lower roller to the next, a pair of upperrollers mounted in the inner frame in a horizontal plane above andparallel to the lower rollers, said upper rollers mounted on pins heldin vertical slots in the ends of the inner frame to provide for verticalmovement of the upper roller.

2. A device for moistening labels, nameplates and the like comprising anouter frame and an inner frame adapted to fit into said outer frame, theouter frame having a base and sides to provide a reservoir for liquid,said inner frame having a base and a pair of vertical ends, a pluralityof lower rollers mounted in a horizontal position in the vertical ends,said lower rollers spaced from each other and adapted to contact theliquid in the reservoir, a plurality of circular bars adapted to lie inthe valleys between the lower rollers and contact the rollers on eachside of the circular bars to transmit motion from one of the lowerrollers to the other, a pair of upper rollers mounted in the ends of theinner frame for vertical movement.

3. A device for moistening nameplates and labels comprising an outerframe adapted to serve as a reservoir for liquid, an inner frame adaptedto fit within said outer frame, said inner frame having a base memberand opposed upstanding ends, a plurality of lower rollers rotatablyhorizontally mounted in said ends, adapted to contact said liquid, aplurality of circular bars lying freely in the ,valleys between thelower rollers adapted to transmit motion from one lower roller to theothers, a plurality of upper rollers rotatably mounted in said endsabove said lower rollers but parallel thereto, said upper rollers beingmovable vertically and adapted to bear against objects passing betweenthe upper and lower rollers.

4. A device for moistening labels and nameplates comprising an outerframe adapted to serve as a reservoir for liquid, an inner frame fittinginside of the outer frame, and extending into the liquid in thereservoir, a plurality of lower rollers rotatably mounted in ahorizontal plane in said inner frame and adapted to contact the liquidin the reservoir, means for causing said lower rollers to rotatesimultaneously, and a plurality of upper rollers rotatably mounted insaid inner frame above the lower rollers and in the same plane,said'upper rollers being adapted for vertical movement and to bearagainst objects passing between the upper and lower rollers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS348,375 Beckly Aug. 31, 1886 1,175,578 Adams Mar. 14, 1916 Hofiman May9, 1923

